UN investigator confident Syria behind Lebanese PM's killing

[Behind the Aegis]

The chief United Nations investigator into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri said in remarks published Saturday that he was confident that Syria was behind the killing.

It was the first time that Detlev Mehlis has unequivocally accused Syria of responsibility for Hariri's assassination since opening the UN probe in June.

Asked by the London-based Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat if he was firmly convinced that Syria was behind Hariri's killing, Mehlis replied, "Yes."

Asked whether he directly accusing the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, already under heavy international pressure to cooperate with the UN probe, Mehlis said, "Let's say the Syrian authorities." He declined to elaborate.

continues...

[pretzel4gore]

1. cia paid for it....that's why it's bull.

anything to do with north korea, cuba, venezuela, syria, zimbabwe, iran or canada must be suspect, because the bushviks have too many irons in the fire, and those nations are powerless against the big fukking liar

[dutchdemocrat]

2. Best news yet - from that article.

Syria has vehemently denied its involvement or that it has been slow to respond to requests from Mehlis, who will be returning to his post in Berlin as soon as a replacement is named.

[Kagemusha]

3. So he has nothing on Assad, just the administration & family?

Well that clears things up, doesn't it?

[stepnw1f]

4. Time to Leave the Middle East Alone

Our reasons for being there are anything but noble or just. And nothing good can come of our meddling in other country's affairs.

Neo-Cons were stupid for trying... and should be held fully accountable for everything thing happening there now.

[daleo]

5. Would someone in the U.N. please investigate the following:

- the assassination of JFK.
- the assassination of MLK.
- the assassination of RFK.
- the assassination of M. Begin.
- the assassination of O. Palme.
- the assassination of I. Ghandi.

Thank you in advance.

[teryang]

6. The article is short on facts and repeats mere accusations

Is Mehlis quiting? Appears like it.

www.globalresearch.ca

The Syrian Gambit Unravels
When the main witnesses recant, you don't have a case


by Justin Raimondo

December 12, 2005

The effort to demonize Syria and, in effect, Saddamize its ruler, Bashar al-Assad, has run up against a brick wall: the recantation of the prime witness, who says he was bribed, intimidated, and tortured into going along with the narrative being sold by UN prosecutor Mehlis – that Syrian intelligence pulled off the Feb. 14 assassination of Lebanese entrepreneur and politician Rafik Hariri in Beirut. The New York Times reports:


"Hussam Taher Hussam, said he had been held in Lebanon by supporters of Saad Hariri, the son of the former prime minister, and subjected to torture and drug injections to force him to testify. Saad Hariri, he said, offered him $1.3 million if he would lie about senior Syrian officials. …

"He said Mr. Hariri and his associates had asked him to tell investigators that he had seen a truck used in the assassination at a Syrian military camp, and to present false evidence implicating Maher Assad, the younger brother of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, and Asef Shawkat, the president's brother-in-law, in the killing in February."<snip>

Sadiq the other witness came into some serious money and his credibility is also seriously compromised.